MovieChat Forums > The Robinsons: Lost in Space Discussion > How could they make it better??

How could they make it better??

posted 16 years ago by simmo83
12 replies | jump to latest

I just came off rewatching the LIS movie and then went to The Robinson: Lost in Space (that I found on a Bit Torrent) and I am wondering - why is any revival of the series so bad!?

I think you can give Lost in Space a Batman: Begins like reimagining that will breathe new life into a brilliant concept.

A great new series would develop a complex love triangle between Don, Judy & (an older) Penny; give the characters "Lost" style back story’s and take its time revealing who was responsible for the Jupiter sabotage to create a bit of mystery - then just work the sci-fi in around it..
I dunno, what do you all think?

[–] 16 years ago

[deleted]

[–] Thomas_Veil 15 years ago

The problem with too many remakes like this is that they try to re-imagine the entire show and end up turning it into something else.

The recipe for success in something like this is to stay as close to the original concept as possible (because that's what people liked about the show in the first place), and to change only the things that are necessary. That doesn't mean you can't flesh out the story with new stuff, but you have to be careful that your new ideas originate organically from what has gone before. (That's why the alien attackers here didn't do much for me.)

I like the idea of giving Lost in Space an overarching story arc. It works for Lost, and it worked for shows like Babylon 5, which probably still holds the title of greatest sci-fi series ever. Lost's only problem is that they enjoy being too enigmatic too much. You've got to throw the audience a bone once in a while so that they are sure that the producers know the story is actually going some place. (The X Files is a show which ultimately failed in that regard; it looked like the producers were making up the story arc as they went along.)

So what does this mean for LIS? Keep the original family unit; make the mission about being the first pioneers to colonize another planet; and keep Dr. Smith. The theatrical film did all of these things right. Where it went off the rails, as I intimated earlier, was that whole time warp/spider-aliens things, which came across as almost a whole second movie.

When the original LIS pilot was cut down and spread across five or six episodes, with Dr. Smith added, the series had a really terrific flavor. The shows didn't seem all that episodic; the plots each developed easily from what had happened in the episode before. That's exactly what a new Lost in Space needs to do.

Incidentally, there was a Penny-Judy "rivalry" in the Lost in Space comic book series from Broadway a few years ago. Despite my doubts, it played surprisingly well. I'm not sure that's the direction to go in a new series, but I wouldn't rule it out if it were handled right.

Oh, and I certainly wouldn't confine the Robinsons to any one planet. You could have them marooned for periods of time, until they repair the ship, but it really gets ridiculous when one single planet turns out to be the Grand Central Station of the galaxy for alien visitors, as Preplanus did on the original series.

[–] larryman 15 years ago

Does your LIS concept Jupiter-2 leave Earth as a faster-than-light vehicle? Or, does it require the crew to be suspended in freeze tubes for the voyage?

---------
"Welcome to Altair-4, gentlemen". - Robby Robot: 1956 "Forbidden Planet" movie

[–] crowmagnumman 14 years ago

I agree with most, perhaps all of what you said. I have the Lost in Space comics and haven't yet read through them all, though, so I'm not sure what I'd think of the Penny-Judy rivalry.

I agree that there's really no reason to change the basic concept. Keep the family. Keep Smith. Keep all of the most important elements that make Lost in Space what it is. But then flesh it out with a big story-arc like Babylon 5. I agree with you about the X-Files, but I give it credit for being one of the first shows to attempt something like that. Babylon 5, however, is a perfect example of how to do a big seasons-spanning story right. B5 may have had some sub-par special effects, especially early on. But they did get a bit better as it went along, and it didn't really matter anyway. That's how great the writing was. And though I like LOST for what it is, B5 answered questions at a much more satisfying pace.

I really hope I get to do a Lost in Space TV show reboot someday. Though it seems likely that somebody else will reboot it and ruin it again before that. It's mind-boggling that it's been rebooted twice, and sucked both times. I don't get why it's so hard to get it right. It's not that hard! Pretty much any Lost in Space fan can give you a pretty good idea of what a new Lost in Space show or movie should look like, and especially what NOT to do.

[–] apenman-3 14 years ago

Simply put, the new show is not Lost in Space and I agree, there is no need to re-invent the show. There are three criteria that must be achieved for a new series to succeed. First, make it recognizable, in order to carry the existing fan base. Second, make it for adults, we were kids when we fell in love with the show but we are all grown up now. Third, make it a solid stand alone series in order to attract new fans.

If we look at the movie, they embraced the campiness and sillyness of the original series, referring to the ship as the family camper, and then having the cartoon pet. So, the movie only satisfied one of the three criteria, in that it was recognizable, and the 120M that the movie made was likely due to the existing fans, as the movie wasn't well received by critics. So, it wasn't strictly made for adults, nor was it a strong enough stand alone effort to succeed. Then, the 2004 pilot was not recognizable, nor was it a strong enough stand alone effort to succeed, so it failed.

Fans today are not going to accept the space family robinson cruising around in the family camper. Nor will they accept a family taking off in a ship that has an important mission, with only one other crew member. No one would put their family in that position, nor would the authorities allow it. Instead, the ship could say take off with a full crew, who are then killed from an act of sabotage, combined with a crash landing. The adult family members would be legit members of the crew, leaving only the two kids to explain, which could be done.

Then make the Jupiter II a 'planet hunter' so that they're not wandering aimlessly around the universe, and then to really make it interesting, have the act of sabotage leave them in a neighbouring galaxy. Also, develop an environmental theme that could run as a thread throughout the series and would make it relevant, because it's about our society right now. So, the show would be set ninety years in the future, where the environment is a disaster, and we would say if things had been done differently starting in our time what a difference it would have made, then build that case.

In theory, every civilization comes to a cross-roads where they either get it together and survive, or they die because of over-population, pollution and war. So, have the Robinson go out and find some dead worlds to support that discussion, which is really about us. Then we would have a show that is quite relevant and interesting.

[–] billgbg 14 years ago

The LIS movie captured the essence of being a family in Space, no matter how goofy that concept is, the heart was there. Likewise, the Sixties TV show had that mix of "the future" along with that Campbell's Soup feeling of security that your dad and mom are always there no matter what happens. Irwin Allen's awful, dreadful special effects were balanced by snappy writing and fantastic (John Williams) music scores. Even Allen couldn't top himself, so it's doubtful that anyone can, except maybe the King, (James Cameron).

The psychology of being away from the Earth, mainly the possibility of going crazy totally, should be explored more, and will we have a technology to deal with that, like maybe a simulated Earth experience wherever you happen to be in the galaxy?

[–] italianbucknut 14 years ago

"Irwin Allen's awful, dreadful special effects"

Are you crazy? The special effects for the original series are good. They were great then and are still good now. I hate you people who criticize special effects from past movies/shows. For you idiots it has to be state of the art computer effects from spider-man 4 or something to be considered good. Well your nuts, you need to grow up and realize film has been going on for quite a while now and back when the original series was made they actually had to be creative and talented and couldnt just do everything with a computer. If you want sweet cool sfx go watch transformers 2 again toolbag.

[–] billgbg 14 years ago

About the effects, I won't argue with you because I absolutely, truly hate digital effects in film these days. Maybe someday, there will be some artfulness in using them, but now it's very distracting.

LIS and Irwin Allen used the same awful sounds and visuals over and over in all his TV "telefantasies". Now come on, you know this as well as I do, so don't get lost in nostalgia on this point.

You'd hear the same BING! sound anytime an alien just appeared on the set, see the same white sparks flying around, and the same close to the camera puff of smoke anytime a new character came or left the set...and this went on for seven years?? Give me a break.

If this stuff was so wonderful, then why didn't any other successful producer use it? They didn't because even ten year olds weren't moved anymore by it.

However, the Jupiter 2 crash sequence on their first planet is the most exciting piece of television from 1965 in my opinion. Every time I see it, I get excited by the fantastic imagination of it all...so there's alot of opinions for you.

[–] dukeb0y 14 years ago

Don, Judy & (an older) Penny;

If you ever get a chance to read the INNOVATION comic book series, they had a take of that story.

And a 'LOST' style back story would be great.

[–] wearetheborg-1 13 years ago

If they did another lost in space, they should use something based on John William's third season opening theme. I think that theme was the best of the two.

[–] mlaughlin22 11 years ago

If they ever do a remake they should do more investigation of Priplanis
all those tombs and undeground stuff . Put together a history or
theory on Priplanis orbit and how it came to be?

Will and Dr. Smith could find a unused nuclear missile in a cave
and how do they dispose of it? John and Don could disarm and use it for
fuel for the Jupiter 2 or a stalagmite might drop down and the timer starts for countdown ?

Fix the error reports on this site

[–] lenf2 8 years ago

How could they make it better? How about actually using the original story line and characters from the early 1960's comic book? In the comic there were only 4 people, the parents, and two LATE teenage kids (17 and 18), Will and Penny. The kids were old enough to man their very Star Treklike shuttles to alien worlds they came to.

Also, the "lost" bit was not that they went off course, but becaue they were thrown into a different part of the universe by what we would today call a wormhole, and couldn't find their way back to their own part of the universe.

The ship was also totally different, not a ship at all, but a space station built in the shape of a huge "H" and the original title was not "Lost in Space" but rather "Space Family Robinson" from the 1800's adventure novel "Swiss Family Robinson," upon which it was based.

Irwin Allen totally destroyed the entire concept of the original comic and in the process turned a good, basic, scifi into a total farce. Regrettably no one has departed from the original TV series by very much. So to answer the question, make it better by making it the original.